Folding bed or like structure



April 14, 1931. M. F. BAYER 1,300,494 Q FOLDING BED OR LIKE-STRUCTURE Filed July 28, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l i Ii" FOLDING BED 0R LIKE STRUCTURE Filed July 28. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,April 14, 1931. BAYER 1,800,494

FOLDING BED 0R LIKE STRUCTURE Filed July 28. 1-927 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 20 A? i W i-2Q; 11 3% I ,F -2Zt 1: 16

1454.4 fiw a 29 2 g 25 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 isnsrATE-s ENT OF E llIAT'II-IEW F. BAYER, F KENOSHA, WISCONSIN ASSIGNOR 'IO SIMIv/IONS COMPANY, NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATEON OF DELAWARE FQLDING'BEID OR LIKE STRUCTURE Application filed July 2e,

Thisinvention relates to folding beds or like structures, and more particularly to a folding leg structure for supporting the folding bed section when in its extended or I 5 bed position, and in which structure the leg is movable from its operative supporting position to inoperative position substantially within the outer edge of the folding section. I

In folding beds of folding couches such as day beds andthe like, it is desirable to provide end frames of more or less ornamental appearance for supporting the bed bottom, and in order to improve the general appearance of the structure, it is desirable to arrange the .end frames closely adjacent the ends of the bed bottomQ For supportingthe folding. section of a day bed, for instance, it is preferable to mount a folding leg on each end of the folding section, and this arrange ment has, in common practice, required the provision of-sufficient space'between theend of .the bed section and adjacent end frame to receive the said leg.

The principal object of the present in vention is to provide means for mounting the leg whereby thesame may occupy an operative supporting position outwardly of the end of the bed section and whereby the leg will be foldable to a position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section and also movable inwardly of the said endwhen the bed section is folded from extended or bed position to folded or couch position,

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section. Another object is to provide means for effecting such folding movement of the leg automatically as anincident to the fold ing movement of the folding bed section, and also to provide such automatic means which will be operable to effect such legfolding movement in two steps; first, by swinging the leg from its operative position to aposition substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section, and, second, to move the leg inwardly of the adjacentedge of the bed section, thereby permitting the leg to be disposed closely adjacent the end of thebed section when in operative position.

r thereby permitting the end frame to be dis-. posed closely adjacent the end of' the 'bed 1927. Serial No, 209,134.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings wherein I have illustrated a folding couch embodying one form of my invention. I

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a folding couch including my improved leg structure,

a part of Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale 7 and showing the parts in the position into which they are moved during an initial portion of the folding movement of the folding bed section. I

Fig.7 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig.

6, the parts being shown in the same posi-i tion as inf Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, the couch or day bed 1n connect on with wh ch I have shown my improved leg structure includes a supporting frame 10, a floating bed section 11 and a folding bedsection 12. The floating bed section 11 is supported at one side on the frame 10 by means ofa cam plate 13 and pin 14 secured to the floating section 11 and enter ing .the slot 15, in the cam plate. At its opposite side, the floating section 11 is supported by means of a link or arm 16 to one end of which it is pivotally connected, as indicated at 17, the link or arm 16 being pivotally mounted, as indicated at 18, intermediate its ends'on an upwardly-extending bracket mem- 'ber19, which is secured to and forms a part of the supporting frame 10. The folding section 1*2vis pivotally connected, as indicated at 20, to the other end of the link 16 which, as to the folding bed section, serves as a part of the supporting frame. Spring means 21 and'22 are provided for the purpose of assisting folding and unfolding of the bed section. :As

shown in Fig. 1, the folding section 12 is in extended position, and when it is desired to fold the section to folded or couch position, the outer edge of the folding section is raised so as to swing the section about its pivotal connection with the frame portion 16.

r The connection 20 is preferably such that when the folding section 12 is swung through an arc of substantially ninety degrees, a rigid connection will be established between the bed section and the frame portion 16 so that further swinging movement of the folding section will cause the frame portion 16' to swing about its pivotal connection 18 with the frame part 19, and incidentally lower the floating section 11 in a manner readily understood by those skilled in the art. It will be unoerstood that the above-described structure is provided at both ends of the couch in accordance with the usual practice. The details of the bed structure proper are not material to the present invention, and further more detailed description thereof, therefore,

a will not be given.

For supporting the folding section 12 when in extended position, I provide a leg which is preferably pivotally mounted on the-folding section by means of an inwardly extending pivot part 26 which is rotatably and axially slidably mounted in apertures27 and '23 provided in upwardly-extending portions 29 and 30 respectively of a bracket member 31. The bracket 31 is fixedly mounted on an angle iron 32, the latter being a part of the folding bed section 12, and may be secured to the foldto the pivot part 26. A cam, orcam slot, en-

gaging member 41 is secured to and projects from the pivot part 26 0f thelegintermediate the side portions 3'? and 38 of the cam member and extends upwardly through the cam slot 40. The camengaging member 41 is preferably arcuate in form, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 6, this being for a purpose which will presently appear. 7

Movement of the cam member 34 relative to the pivot part 26 of the leg and the camengaging means 41 is effected by means of a link or thrust bar 42 which is preferably rigT idly secured at one end to the depending side portion 37 of the cam as shown at 43. The other end of thethrust bar 42 is connected to y the bed frame at a point spaced from the pivotal connection 20 between the folding section and frame, which point in the present embodiment may conveniently be the pivotal connection 18 between the frame part 16 and frame part 19. It will be understood that when the folding section 12 is swung upwardly about its pivot 20, the thrust bar 42 will be swung about its pivot 18, which, being spaced outwardly from the pivot 20, will cause the thrust bar and cam to move crosswise of the folding bed section. Thecam slot which receives the cam-engaging means 41 is effective to force the said cam engaging means inwardly of the adjacent edge of the bed section and thereby to bodily move the leg inwardly of the said adjacent edge. A tensioned spring 44 secured, as indicated at 45, at one end to the angle iron portion 32 of the bed section and at its other end to a pin 46 which projects from the pivot part '26 is preferably provided for swinging the leg from its operative position as shown in Fig.

v1 to a position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section as shown in Fig; 6 and also as shown in dotted line in Fig. 1.

When the folding section ofthe couch is swung about its pivot 20 from bed position as in Fig. 1, to folded position, it will be un- .derstood that the cam 34 is moved crosswise of the bed section in an outward direction. When the cam is so moved, the spring 44 is permitted to swin the leg 25 on its pivot part, the cam-engaging means 41 being permitted to correspondingly swing about the axis of the pivot part since the cam is advancing. It will be seen that the forwardedge portion '47 of the cam slot 40 is normally effective limits such movement through engagement with the rearward portion 48 of the cam slot. When the cam member has moved through an initial portion of its movement, which, of course, occurs during an initial portion of the folding movement of the bed section, the arcuate cam-engaging member 41 will assume the position shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 7 As shown in said Figs Gand 7 the outer end portion 49 ofthe cam-engaging member engages the face portion 50 adjacent the edge ofthe cam slot and thereby'prevents further swinging movement of the leg under the influence of the spring 44. The spring44 is thus prevented from causing the cam-engaging means41 to follow further movement of the cam slot, and the cam will therefore be effective subsequent to such pivotal movement of theleg to effect inward movement of the leg during a portion of thefolding movement of the bed section subsequent to said initial portion. I

The initial portion ofthe movement or travel of the cam member 34 does not pro duce any cam action on the cam engaging part 41 because the spring 44 causes the cam part 41 of the leg to move in unison with the movement of the cam member 34. The part 41 does of course,,move through the slot, i..e., upwardly through the slot but not crosswise of the top of the cam member 34 in the direc' tion in which the cam is adapted to move the part. The arcuate part serves toeonveniently provide a stop as above mentioned for limiting pivotal movement'of the leg under the influence of the spring, 44, to the dement, in that theleg is first swung from its pivotal supporting position to a position sub stantially parallel to the plane of the bed section, during an initial portion of the folding movement of the folding bed section. 1

second portion of leg-folding movement occurs when the leg is moved inwardly during the effective movement of the cam which occurs during a portion of the folding movement of the'bed section subsequent tosaid initial folding movement. It will be under stood that my improved two-step leg-folding structure permits the supporting leg for the folding bed section tobe disposed closely adjacent the edge of the bed section when in operative position, thereby permitting a relatively light weight constructionwhich 'iseffective to firmly and rigidly support the said bed section. t V I Various changes in the form, construction and arrangement of parts may be made witl out departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which shoull be determined by reference to the following claims, which should be construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section whenv in extended position, means for mounting said leg on said section so as to permit adjustment thereof from operative supporting position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of' the bed section and so as to permit subsequent movement of theleg inward ly of the bed section, means normally tending to swing'said leg from operative to inoperative position, and means operable, whenthe bed section is in extended position, to

prevent such'le'g movement, and automatieal ly operable, when said bed section is moved in folding dlrection, to move sald leg, inwardly after the same is swung to inoperative positlon.

2. In a folding bed or like structure, the

combination of a supporting frame, a fold- I ing bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to'extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section when in extended position, means for mounting said leg on said section so as to permit adjustment thereof from operative supporting position v to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section and so as to permit subsequent movement of the legrinwardly of the bed section, spring means normally tending to swing said leg from operative toinoperative position, and means'oper able, when the bed section is in extended positio-n, to prevent such movement of the leg i and automatically operable, as an incident .to-

folding movement of the bed section, to permit said spring to swing the leg to inoperative position and subsequently to effect said inward leg movement. 7

8. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg pivotally mounted on said folding section. so as to be capable of being swung from operative position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section, said leg being also bodily movable inwardly of the bed section, a cam for effecting said inward leg movement,cam-engaging means carried by said leg, means for actuating said cam as an ncident to foldmgmovement of said folding bed section, means for swinging said leg about its pivot, during an initial portion of the folding movement of said bed section, to inoperative position, thereby causing said cam-engaging means to move coeXtensively with the cam so as to render the latter ineffective to move the leg in-- wardly durin g such 1n1t1al folding movement,

said cam being operative subsequent to such leg-swinging movement to act on said camengaging means for moving the leg inwardly.

4. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a fold ing bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a

leg pivotally mounted on said folding section so as to be capable of being swung from operative position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section, said leg being also bodily movable inwardly of the bed section, a cam for effecting said inward leg movement, cam-engaging means carried by said leg, means for actuating said cam as an incident to folding movement of said folding bed section, means for swinging said leg about its pivot, during an initial portion of the folding movement of said bed section, to inoperative position, thereby causing said cam-engaging means to move coextensively with the cam so as to render the latter ineffective to move the leg inwardly during such initial folding movement, said cam and cam-engaging means being adapted to prevent pivotal movement of the leg beyond said inoperative position, thereby to cause the cam to be operative subsequent to the leg-swinging movement to effect said inward movement.

5. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a fold ing bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section when in extended position, means for mounting said leg on said section so as to permit adjustment thereof from operative supporting position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section and so as to permit subsequent movement of the leg inwardly of the bed section, and means for automatically effecting such leg movement as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, said means including a cam member, a cam-engaging member on said leg, means for effecting relative movement between said cam and cam-engaging means, means tending to swing said leg in folding direction and effective to cause said camengaging means to move in unison with said cam during an initial portion of the movement of the cam, said ca m and cam-engaging means being adapted to limit such leg-swinging movement, thereby to cause the cam to be subsequently effective to move the leg in wardly of the bed section.

6 In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section when in extended position, means for mounting said leg on said section so as to per-mit adj ustment thereof fro-m operative supporting position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section and so as to permit subsequent movement of the leg inwardly of the bed section, and means for automatically effecting such leg movement as an incident to folding movementiof the bed section, said means including a cam member, a cam-engaging member on said leg, means for effecting relative movement between said cam and cam-engaging means, means tending to swing said leg in folding direction and effective to cause said cam-engaging means to move in unison with said cam during an initial portion of the movement of the cam, and means for limiting the folding movement of leg thereby to cause said cam to be effective to move the leg inwardly of the bed section.

7. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg mounted on said bed section for supporting the latter when in extended position, saidleg being pivotally movable from operative supporting position to folded position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section and also bodily movable inwardly of said section, means for swinging said leg from operative position to said folded position, and means for bodily moving said leg inwardly of the bed section including a cam member, means on said leg engaging said cam and effective to prevent pivotal movement of said leg in folding direction when the bed section is in extended position, means for moving said cam member'as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, thereby to permit said leg to be swung in folding direction, and said cam and cam engaging means being arranged to limit such pivotal leg movement to thereby cause said cam to be effective, subsequent to said legfolding movement, to move said leg inwardly of the adjacent edge of the bedsection.

8. In a folding bed or like structure. the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg pivotally mounted on said folding section so as to be capable of being swung from operative position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section, said leg being also bodily movable inwardly of the bed section, spring means normally tending to swing said leg from operative to inoperative position, a cam for effecting said inward leg movement, means for efiecting movement of said cam as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, a cam-engaging means carried by said leg for coacting with said cam, said cam and cam-engaging means being adapted to hold said leg in operative position against the tension of said spring and arranged to permit said engaging means tofollow the movement of the cam during the swinging movement of the leg, thereby to cause the cam to eifect said inward leg movement subsequent to said leg-swinging movement.

9. In afolding'bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted on said frame so as to be movable from normal folded position to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said bed section when in extended position and mounted thereon so as to be pivotally movable from operative position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the, bed section and also bodily movable inwardly of the latter, a cam member for effecting said inward leg movement, slidably mounted on said bed section and having a cam slot therein, a cam-engaging mem ber carried by said leg and entering said cam slot, a spring tending to swing said leg from operative to inoperative position thereby. urging said cam-engaging means into engagement with a portion of said cam member, the latter being thereby rendered effective to control the swinging movement of said leg member, and means for actuating said cam member as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, whereby said cam-engaging means is permitted to move, thereby permitting said spring to swing the leg from operative to inoperative position, whereby said cam member is effective to move the leg inwardly subsequent to the legswinging movement.

10. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section pivotally mounted on said frame sons to be movable from normal folded position to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said section when in extended position, said leg being mounted on said section so as to be pivotally movable from operative position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bedsection, and also so as to be bodily movable inwardly of the bed section, means for effecting said pivotal and inward movement of the leg including a cam member, a cam-engaging member carried'by said leg, means for effecting movement of said caminember' as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, means for swinging said leg from operative to inoperative position and incidentally caus- 1 ing said cam-engaging means to move with the cam during said leg-swinging movement, thereby rendering saidlcam ineffectlve d ring such movement, said cam being effective to movesaid leg inwardly subsequent to said leg-swinging movement. c 7

11. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section pivotally mounted on said frame so as to be movable from normal folded position to extended or bed position, a leg for. supporting said section when in extended position, meansfor mounting said leg on said section so as to permit pivotal movement of the leg from operative position' to inoperative position substantially parallel, to the plane of the bedsection and also soas to permit movement of the leg in.- wardly of the bed section, means for effecting said pivotal and inward movement of the leg cam and at its other end pivotally, connected to said supporting frame at a point spaced from the pivotal connection between said bed section and-frame, said thrust bar being effective to move said cam member as an incident to folding movement of the bed section, and said spring being effective to cause said cam-engaging means to move with said cam as an incident-to the swinging movement ofsaid leg, thereby preventing said cam from effectively moving relative to the camengaging means while the leg is beingswung from operative'to inoperative position, said, cam being efiective subsequently to said swinging movementto effect said inward leg movement. c

, 12 111 a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a fold-.

' ing bed section pivotally mounted on said frame was to be movable from normalpfolded position to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section when in extended position, means for mounting said leg on said bed section so as to permitpivotal movement of the leg from operative support- 1 ing position to inoperative position: substan=- tially parallel to the; plane of. the bed: section, said means including a bracket secured to said folding section and havinga pair of upwardly-extending portions provided with bearing apertures, a pivot part extending inwardly from said leg and pivotally and axially slidably mounted inv the apertures in said upwardly-extending bracket portions, a cam niember' for effecting said inward leg movement, slidably mounted on said pivot part, means ]3I'Q]6Ct1llg fromsaid pivot part and engaging said cam member, a thrust bar con- 'nect'ed one end to said cam member and pivotal'ly' connected at its other end'tosaid.

ment, thereby causing the effective movement ofsaid cam to be-postponed until said leg s swung-to inoperativeposition.

18. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section pivotally mounted on said frame so as to be movable from normal folded position to extended or bed position,a leg for supporting said folding section when in extended position, means for mounting said leg .on said bed section so as to permit pivotal upwardly-extending bracket portions and provided with a cam slot extending at an angle to said pivot part, means extending from said pivot part intermediate said upwardly-extending bracket portions and entering said cam slot, a thrust bar secured at one end to said cam member and pivotally connected at its other end to said 'supporting frame at a point spaced from the connectlon between said folding section and frame, said bar being effective as an incident to folding movement of the bed section to move said cam member, and a spring for effecting pivotal movement of said leg from operative position to inoperative position and incidentally effective to cause said cam-engaging means .to move with the cam during the swinging I movement of the leg, thereby causing the effective movement of said cam to be postponed until the leg is swung to said inoperative position.

14. In a folding bed or like structure, the combination of a supporting frame, a folding bed section mounted thereon, normally disposed in folded position and adapted to be unfolded to extended or bed position, a leg for supporting said folding section when in 7 extended position, said leg being mounted on said folding section for pivotal folding movement about a fixed axis from operative supporting position to inoperative position substantially parallel to the plane of the bed section andthe mounting means being such as to permit movement of the leg inwardly of the bed section subsequent to said pivotal folding movement, means for efi'ecting such adjustment of the leg including a bar con nected at one end to a part of said supporting frame and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent one sideof the bed section when the latter is extended, and means secured to the other end of said bar for effecting said inward leg movement, said means being such as to be inoperative during an initial portion of the folding movement of said bed section and automatically rendered operative subsequent to such initial movement.

' MATTHEW F.. BAYER.

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